Make your PC easier to use

Applies to Windows 8.1, Windows RT 8.1

There's more than one way to set up a PC to make it more accessible, depending on your needs. Everybody works differently, and there are lots of settings you can change so you can use your PC the way you want.

The most commonly used accessibility options are available in PC settings. To get to them, swipe in from the right edge of the screen and tap Settings (or if you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, and click Settings), tap or click Change PC settings, and then tap or click Ease of Access.

Note

The most commonly used accessibility options are also available from the sign-in screen. Click the Ease of Access button in the lower-left corner and choose the features or settings for your PC that you want. They'll be available each time it starts.

You can also get to accessibility settings from the desktop. To do this, press the Windows logo key
+ U.

Tap or click Mouse, and then and select the options that you want to use:

Change the color and size of mouse pointers. You can use these options to make the mouse pointer larger, or change the color of the pointer to make it easier to see.

Turn on mouse keys. If using a mouse is awkward or difficult, you can turn on mouse keys so you don't need to use a mouse. Instead, you can use the numeric keypad or the arrow keys on your keyboard to move the pointer.

Notes

If you prefer to use your PC without using a mouse, try using Windows Speech Recognition, a tool that lets you use voice commands to work with Windows. For more info, see How to use Speech Recognition.

There are a few different ways to make the keyboard easier to use. Using keyboard shortcuts is quick and convenient. For more info, see Keyboard shortcuts. If you have a touch PC, you can type without an external keyboard. For more info, see How to use the touch keyboard. Another way to customize your experience is through keyboard settings.

Tap or click Keyboard, and then select the options that you want to use:

On-Screen Keyboard If you prefer to use your PC without using a keyboard, try using On-Screen Keyboard, a tool that lets you enter text by selecting characters on the screen.

Sticky Keys With Sticky Keys turned on, you won't have to press complicated key combos. For example, instead of pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del at the same time, you can press keys one at a time.

Toggle Keys Toggle Keys play a notification each time you press the Caps Lock, Num Lock, or Scroll Lock keys. These notifications can help prevent the frustration of inadvertently pressing a key and not realizing it.

Filter Keys When you turn on Filter Keys, Windows ignores when you press the same key rapidly or when you press keys for several seconds unintentionally.